Second Chance on St. Patrick's Day

by Mia Ford

  “That’s better than a no,” Noel said with a small smile as she pulled onto the main street. It was cold and basically empty now of day, apart from the police car in front of the cafe. Noel told him to come in today for a dozen pastries to take to the small station for the other guys since they all took turns doing this for us. He laughed and agreed before seeing us inside the building, leaving when we were locked safely behind the doors. We got right to it doing the usual routine with music playing loudly as we danced and sang to the new Paramore song. I loved the beat and she laughed at me as I shook my hips around before putting trays of muffins into the ovens. “You’re in a good mood. Are you sure something didn’t happen last night?”

  “I stayed in and watched a movie. Nothing exciting. I think I just slept well.” I shrugged as I grabbed another tray to bake. “Coffee!! I forgot the coffee.”

  “Says she who cannot survive without it,” Noel said dryly as I laughed and walked out to the counter. I made us each a fancy latte and brought it in with a smile as she mixed the raspberry scone mix. That cooked a little less so she could work on it as the last mix of the morning last as well as the large snicker doodles that she was baking this morning. “Yummy. What’s the special occasion?” She asked after she sipped the coffee. Her eyes were wide with the need to know what was up with me and I didn’t have much to tell her. Noel was my best friend, but I didn’t feel the need to tell her every detail about my life. I was shy when it came to talking about sex and it took me a few weeks to tell her all about Lance.

  “I just wanted something different. We don’t have the fancy drinks enough.” I brought mine with me to go tidy up the dining room and start a fire before I turned down the music. Noel started loading up the display case and I went to unlock the doors at six, greeting Mike as he walked in carrying flowers. “Mike! You shouldn’t have,” I said as he winked at me.

  "I’d love to take credit, but they were against the door, Molly.” He handed me the bouquet and I looked at it as I followed him to the counter. There were about two dozen flowers; a few different roses, lilies and even a few orchids. It was beautiful and clearly expensive, making me wonder if Nate dropped it off for Noel. There wasn’t a card. I set the flowers down and got Mike’s order ready as Noel came over to stare at them.

  “Who are these from?” She asked, looking between Mike and me.

  “He said they were at the door. No idea. Would Nate do that?” I asked as I gave him his cup of coffee and muffin.

  “He was exhausted last night, so I can’t see him staying up just for this. Maybe, though. How sweet, right? They’re gorgeous. We need a vase.” Noel pushed the cart into the back for more pastries and possibly to look for something to put the flowers in. I thanked Mike for the tip as always and glanced at the door to see that I had some time before more customers came in. I got all the coffee brewing and set up the cream station with fresh supplies before going back behind the counter for a sip of my coffee.

  Sundays brought a lot of the church goers in, both before and after the services. We even made muffins for the services most weekends. I liked that the day went by quickly even though today I was looking for dark hair and light blue eyes.

  He didn’t come in today. I looked at the flowers, propped in a high metal mixing bowl behind the register, hoping that they might be from him. Maybe he was thinking about me as well, but dropping off flowers before the sun was up was insane. It had to be Nate.

  Chapter 7

  Robert

  I had to work on Sunday so I made a point of getting some flowers at the local flower shop to leave at the cafe late Saturday night. I wanted to leave them at the door so Molly would find them when she opened the doors since I sensed she hadn’t been romanced a lot in her young life. Men that age didn’t know what they were doing and I certainly didn’t back them.

  I didn’t have the balls to leave a note with them once I jogged past and dropped them at the step. I liked the idea of her wondering if they were from me.

  I got ready for work, trying to picture Molly’s face when she saw the flowers. I went big with them because the combination just caught my eyes when I walked in. She deserved that.

  We were going over some flight training all day Sunday for the students coming in the following week. There was still some of the remaining gossip from the affair floating around and I sensed it when I walked down the hallway, my skin prickling at the vibe in the air.

  Fucking immature children. That’s who worked for me. Nobody should ever get involved with colleagues because this is what happened. Is that why I was pursuing a local cafe owner? Was she separate enough for me?

  I paused when one of the women stepped out of a room in front of me, her laugh throaty as she glanced at me with hungry brown eyes. “Good morning, Major Johnson. How are you?” I heard the inflection of her voice when she said my last name and I saw the way that she looked down my body.

  It was Olivia, one of the instructors and I narrowed my eyes at her. “Just fine.” I didn’t bother to use her name and she flinched a bit at my tone. “You do know that this is a base where we work right? This is a place where we work for our country, not a fucking frat house.” I lowered my voice as her eyes widened, her skin paling. “I am not going to participate in these games and since you are one of the biggest gossipers in this building, I expect you to stop talking about the last incident here. I expect that to stop right now.”

  Olivia stepped back and nodded mutely. I was done with this stupid, fucking scandal and I just wanted to focus on work. She disappeared back into her office and I continued down the hall to the room where I was meeting the others to discuss our plans.

  Randy watched me walk in with a smirk on his face. “I guess you told her. Most men would consider that and have, you know.”

  “I don’t shit where I eat. Isn’t that the saying?” I asked as he laughed. “I’ve worked for the air force for twenty years and never touched a woman here. I have everywhere but work, but never on the job. Look what happens.”

  “Agreed. That was a train wreck and they both fucked up their futures. I hear that his wife is divorcing him and moving back to California with their daughter.” Randy shook his head. Neither of us were married but we would respect it if we were.

  The others joined us, including Olivia. She wouldn’t even look at me and we all spent the next few hours planning the lessons that she and Brian would be giving the class. I loved participating in these. I looked back fondly at my own flight training and loved it while I lived that life, but I preferred what I did now at this age. Sure, I’d hop in a plane and mess with the class here and there, but I didn’t want to do it for a living.

  I just liked fucking with the cocky guys that thought they were going to be a gift to the air force.

  I drove back home that evening and made a steak on the grill for dinner. The cafe was dark as expected, and I wondered what she thought of the flowers as I looked at the stars in the sky.

  I thought about Olivia and the look in her eyes. I could have shoved her back in that office, bent her over and fucked her right without delay. She would allow it without a thought to her career. In a bar or a different setting, I might have taken her up on it.

  I ate outside at the small patio table and sipped a cold beer. I thought about Molly and the look of fear in her eyes when she asked me if I’d be leaving this place. Did she have some abandonment issues with another man, or perhaps her family? What was it about her that made me want her so badly?

  I’d been jerking off in the shower every day since meeting her. I pictured her underneath me, or on her knees sucking my cock as I did and it drove me mad. There were plenty of women that I could have if I just said the words, both in town and at work but I didn’t want them. I wanted Molly even if it might break her.

  I turned in early that night, planning to grab some coffee at the cafe before I went in the following day. I wanted to see her face and try to read if she knew about the flowers.

  I rose for
a run early, planning to arrive shortly after they opened. It seemed like the girls worked every day, never having any time off. That was a lot and I wondered why they didn’t hire some more people to help them out. I took the forest path again, enjoying the peace of it as I breathed in the cool morning air. This was much better than jogging in the city streets where I’d lived in the past. Some would say there were more risks here with the animals, but I felt safer here. I wasn’t afraid of the animals.

  I hot the street once the path ended and made my way into town. There were a few people out and about, opening businesses or getting coffee like me and I greeted them with a smile.

  Slow, sleepy town.

  I walked up to the glass doors, opening them to see a group of women at the counter chatting with the girls. They were obviously regulars and I watched for a moment just to see Molly smile. She got them their coffees and pastries before looking over to see me, her smile fading for a moment.

  I raised my head and walked forward, flashing her a grin. “Good morning, Molly.”

  “Good morning. Out for a run today?” Her eyes dragged over my long running shorts and jacket slowly, making my cock harden underneath. I saw the heat in her gaze.

  “Yes, and now I need some coffee and one of those muffins,” I told her as the redhead paused with a cart of pastries coming from the back of the store. She looked me over and then gazed at her friend as I gave her a warm smile.

  “Sure,” Molly said as she rang me up, taking my money and watching me drop a bill into the tip jar. “Thank you. You don’t have to do that every time.”

  She moved to get me the coffee and gave me a long look as she slid it across the counter to me. “Was that you yesterday morning? The flowers? I know that Nate didn’t bring them to Noel.” That was the other girl’s name.

  “Did you like them?” I leaned closer as Noel got a fresh muffin and slipped it onto a plate, handing it to Molly with her eyes on me.

  “They were gorgeous. I took them home yesterday to put them in my room. They smell so good.” A hint of pink flushed her cheeks and she smiled, looking surprised for a moment. She looked around to see if there were any customers. “Why did you do that?”

  “To see that smile. I’m Robert Johnson,” I told her, offering her my hand. She shyly reached out to shake it and the sparks flew between us as I felt the heat of her skin.

  I wanted her so bad.

  “Molly Randall,” she offered as she looked down at our joined hands. “This is Noel Martin.” I reluctantly let go of Molly’s hand and shook Noel’s as she stepped forward. She was giving me that look that suggested she’d kill me if I hurt her friend when she told me that it was nice to meet me.

  “You have a great place here,” I told them as they both smiled proudly. I heard the door chime and looked behind me to see an older couple walking up to the counter.

  “I’ll get it,” Noel offered as Molly blushed and looked into my face.

  “I’d like to take you out,” I told her as she looked at me with big eyes. “Dinner, maybe a movie. Anything that you want.” I saw the fear pass through her eyes again and reached out for her hand.

  “Why me?” Molly asked in a voice that made my blood boil. Who did this to her?

  “You’re beautiful, Molly. I want to get to know you.” I looked into her eyes as Noel’s laughter reached us. “You’ll be safe with me. I just want to spend some time with you.”

  “Okay,” she said in s trembling voice as I stared at her. She said yes?

  “Can we have dinner tonight? I’ll have you home early since I know that you get here early.” I offered as she searched my face for a long moment.

  “Yes, that would be nice.” I asked for her phone and she grabbed it from the back counter as a crowd came in. I sent myself a text and told her that I would pick her up at six if she sent me her address. I turned to take my plate and cup to a table, feeling some eyes on me as I sat down by the fire with a cocky grin on my face.

  Molly was going out with me.

  I sat as long as I could before I had to get to the base, waving goodbye to the girls before I left. I normally didn’t worry about friends all that much, but Noel was more like a sister to Molly. I knew that I should treat them both with respect. I jogged home and showered before changing into my uniform. I was meeting the newest bunch of students today and overseeing the classes since the asshole that was getting a divorce had the job before I arrived. My reputation was impeccable and I was tough, so nothing would slip by me. I drove to the base and parked before heading into the teaching building, greeting Randy as he stood just outside of the classroom. “Are you ready for this?” He asked as I nodded and laughed. It almost seemed like yesterday that I was here, full of confidence that would slowly get knocked down as the class moved forward. I got it all back and had a great career, but there were some tough times.

  The students walked in, followed by Olivia and Brian as she stared at the floor. I’d gotten the best of her but if she was as stupid about things as she seemed, she’d be getting it from one of these kids. A woman teaching the class was always something of an uproar, but she knew her stuff after all her years in studying the planes. She just needed to keep it professional and I took a seat with Randy in the back of the room. I thought forward to the date, considering taking her to the local Asian place in town if she liked that kind of food. There weren’t the fine steakhouses here that I’d had in other cities to woo women, but I didn’t mind. I was starting to like it here more.

  The class went smoothly for the first day. There were the guys that thought they were going to be ahead of everyone else, but I knew what would happen as time passed. I was there once and damn lucky to have worked through it, making a fine career out of the opportunity.

  I left at four, ready to go home and get ready for my date. Molly had sent me her address and I stopped by the florist for a smaller bouquet for her. I selected lilies this time, tucking them under my arm as I walked to my car.

  I took another shower and dressed in black slacks and a button up shirt in a dark shade of blue. I slipped my feet into some black boots that I wore for errands that I’d been wearing for years. Once I liked something, I stuck with it. I was a simple man in some ways but to others I was so complex.

  I worried that I’d be too much for Molly as I followed the directions to her house. It was a nice ranch house that was up on a hill overlooking the town and countryside, so I took a long look as I got out of my used Pathfinder. It was beautiful and I returned my gaze to the house with the warm light inside. I walked up and knocked on the door with flowers in hand, smiling as a woman opened the door with a curious gaze. She was close to my age and beautiful with dark skin and eyes. “Mr. Johnson,” she greeted me as I frowned and shook my head with a chuckle.

  “It’s Robert. I’m not at work,” I assured her as she laughed and opened the door.

  “Come in. Molly will be right down.” Her eyes landed on the flowers as she smiled wider. “I can put those in some water. They’re beautiful. She deserves them.”

  “I agree.” I walked inside and she took the flowers through what looked like the living room as she told me to have a seat. Molly must live with them and I glanced around to see pictures of Noel and the woman with a man on the mantel. This must be her family home. It felt warm in here and full of love, so I was glad that she had a place like this. I heard laughter and then footsteps to my left and glanced over to see someone coming down the stairs, making eye contact with Molly as she smiled.

  She was wearing a green dress with black tights and flats and held a purse and jacket in her arms. “You’re stunning,” I said as I stood up and took her in eagerly, making her blush. Her hair was down around her shoulders and she’d added a hint of makeup to make her eyes pop. I knew that she didn’t realize how gorgeous she was and wanted her to as I watched her walk towards me.

  “Thank you. You look good, too.” Her eyes raked over me as she stopped and settled on my face. We heard someone comin
g in and both turned to see the older woman carrying a vase of flowers.

  “I’ll watch these until your home, Molly. Maybe Keith will get some ideas.” She smiled as she put the lilies on a table and Molly looked at me.

  “You brought those?” I nodded. “Robert, this is Marta Martin. Noel’s mother.” I shook her hand and saw a pride in her eyes for Molly that made me realize this was different from anything with any other woman in my life. I never met family nor did I care to, but I liked this woman and this house. I liked Molly.

  We made some small talk before leaving and I helped Molly into her thick black coat. She smelled like cherries and I inhaled deeply as she turned to meet my eyes. We walked to the car as the sun was setting on the horizon, and I paused as Molly looked at it. Her face was beautiful in the hues of orange and pink and I memorized her as she smiled and reached for my hand. “Thank you for everything, Robert. The flowers are beautiful and this is just…nice. I don’t go out too much.”

  “It’s not a problem. I like seeing that smile,” I assured her as our eyes locked and fingers intertwined. Yes, there was heat between us. Once she seemed to be finished watching the sunset, I took her to my car and opened the door before making sure that she was securely inside and safe. I walked around the back and slipped into the front seat before looking at her. “I was thinking of Asian for dinner. Do you like that?”

  “I love it,” she replied as her red lips spread into a smile. I started the car and headed down the hill into town, smelling her in my car as the attraction between us increased with each passing moment. I looked at her at the stoplight to see her gazing at me, blushing when she was caught. Molly looked forward and pressed her lips together, forming a pout as I pulled forward at the green light.